Camera support device worn on the body comprising a multifunctional assembly of electrical components

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a camera support device worn on the body comprising a multifunctional assembly of electrical components. The inventive device is characterized in that an operational mode switch device is used to switch the operational mode of connection devices and signal lines between a first and a second mode. In the first mode, the signal lines are used for transmitting a video signal of a first type. In the second mode, only a part of the signal lines is used for transmitting a video signal of a second type while the remaining signal lines are used for other purposes.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a camera support device worn on thebody comprising a multifunctional assembly of electrical components.

Camera support devices worn on the body are known and described forexample in EP 0 316 370 A1. These camera support devices enable cameras,peripheral devices and the batteries required for the power supply to becarried by the camera operator and to be held stable independently ofthe movements of the camera operator. To connect the camera, theperipheral devices and the power supply, usually numerous connectors andcabling are provided to establish the required connections without thework of the camera operator being impeded.

With the known camera support devices, as a rule, only one analog videosignal and the power supply are transmitted via the cabling provided inor on the camera support device. The number of peripheral devices isalso limited in view of the complexity of the cabling.

As a consequence, the flexibility achieved with the known systems islow.

Against this background, the invention describes a camera support deviceworn on the body comprising a multifunctional assembly of electricalcomponents, namely: at least a first connection device for feeding avideo signal from a camera by cable, at least a second connection devicefor feeding a video signal to a peripheral device, for example amonitor, a video recording device and/or a transmitting device for videosignals, several signal lines for the transmission of the video signalsbetween the connecting devices and at least one operational modeswitching device for switching the operational mode of the connectingdevices and the signal lines, whereby in a first operational mode theseveral signal lines may be used for the transmission of a video signalof a first type, for example a high-definition video signal (HDTV) andwhereby in a second operational mode part of the several signal linesmay be used for the transmission of a video signal of a second type, forexample a low-definition (analog) or digital (SDI) video signal, and theremaining part of the several signal lines may be used for otherpurposes.

This design of the assembly of electrical components will also enablethe signal lines required for high-definition video signals to be usedin a useful way even when the camera support device according to theinvention is used with an analog or digital camera.

This means that both high-definition cameras and analog and digitalcameras may be used on the camera support device according to theinvention with the same cabling and the existing connection ports. Theconnectors are configured accordingly and the required signal lines arepresent. If some signal lines are not required for the transmission ofvideo signals, according to the invention these lines are available forother purposes and are used accordingly in another way. This means thatthe camera support device according to the invention is more flexiblethan the known systems without presenting greater, and in someapplications unused, complexity.

In addition, a camera support device worn on the body is described inwhich at least two connecting devices are connected to at least oneadditional signal line so that a sensor device may be connected by cableto one of the two connecting devices and a signal transmitting devicemay be connected by cable to the other of the two connecting devices.Here, the connection is established by means of the signal line in sucha way that it may be used via the connecting devices but without thefunction or the usage of the connecting devices provided for otherpurposes being disrupted.

This achievement of this design is that in cases when the connectingdevices are not used, a different use of the connecting device inaddition to its main function is facilitated. For example, the signalfrom a tally sensor, the output signal of which indicates theillumination of the tally light in a camera, and the control signal fora tally signal transmitter, for example a tally LED, may be transmittedin this way over existing connection ports supplemented by an additionalconnection for the additional signal line—of course, as a rule only ifthe connection ports are not being used for their main function.

The invention will be further described in the following with referenceto an example of an embodiment as shown in the drawings. These show:

FIG. 1 a basic representation of the construction of a camera supportdevice worn on the body, and

FIG. 2 the assembly of electrical components in the camera supportdevice according to the invention.

FIG. 1 shows the construction of a camera support device worn on thebody in which according to the invention a multifunctional assembly ofelectrical components may be provided. Attached to a holder 21 are forexample a camera 22, a monitor 23 and batteries 24 and 25. The holdingtube is connected to a carrying structure 26 with which the cameraoperator carries the camera support device worn on the body. Alsoprovided on the holding tube 21 are connection casings 27 and 28 onwhich connection ports 31 to 38 are arranged. These connection portsoffer the option of connecting electrical (video) connection cables 39and 40 or electrical power supply cables 41 and 42 from the camera, themonitor and the batteries. Other peripheral devices, for example videorecording devices or transmitting devices for video signals withcorresponding connection cables may also be connected to the connectionports. Signal and power supply lines run between ports 31 to 38 mostlyin the interior of the tube 21. In addition, electrical components maybe accommodated in the holding tube 21 and/or the connection casings 27and 28. Together, these form an assembly of electrical components whichwill be described in more detail in the following.

FIG. 2 shows the assembly of electrical components for the camerasupport device worn on the body according to the invention.

According to the invention, a first connecting device 1 is provided forthe cable transmission of a video signal from a camera 2. The videosignal, which is fed from the camera 2 by means of a suitable connectioncable 3 to the first connecting device 1, may be a high-definition orlow-definition (analog) video signal. Conventionally, three signal linesare required for high-definition video signals (HDTV). On the otherhand, conventionally only one signal line is used for a low-definition(analog) video signal. In addition, other video signals for exampledigital video signals (SDI) may be fed via one or more video signallines, which are fed to the first connecting device 1 from the camera 2via the connection cable 3.

FIG. 2 also shows a second connecting device 4 for the cabletransmission of a video signal to a peripheral device. For theperipheral device, the video signal supplied may again be ahigh-definition, a low-definition (analog) or a digital video signal sothat a corresponding number of signal lines is required. Peripheraldevices are for example monitors, video recording devices or videosignal transmitting devices.

As may be seen in FIG. 2, several signal lines R, G, B are provided forthe transmission of the video signals between the connecting devices 1and 4. Sometimes, the video signals are transmitted via a continuoussignal line from the first connecting device 1 to the second connectingdevice 2 as is shown for example for the signal line G and sometimesalso through several sections of the signal lines as is shown for signallines R and B.

According to the invention, in addition a operational mode switchingdevice 5 is provided which switches the assembly of electricalcomponents in the camera support device according to the inventionbetween two operational modes. In a first operational mode, for whichthe switch position of the switching device 5 is shown, the severalsignal lines R, G and B are used for the transmission of ahigh-definition video signal (HDTV). This means that the video signalVideoR from camera 2 is transmitted via the signal line R and hencethrough a first switch unit 5 a and a second switch unit 5 b to thesecond connection unit 4. The video signal VideoB from the camera 2 istransmitted via the signal line B and hence over the switch unit 5 c tothe second connection unit 4. As already mentioned, the signal line Gestablishes a direct connection between the first connecting device 1and the second connecting device 4 so that the transmission of the videosignal G from the camera 2 is guaranteed. This means that in the firstoperational mode, all video signals VideoR, VideoG and VideoB from ahigh-definition video camera 2 are transmitted from the first connectingdevice 1 to the second connecting device 4.

If the operational mode switching device 5 is switched from the firstswitch position shown in FIG. 2 to the second switch setting which isnot shown in FIG. 2 but may also be understood from FIG. 2, the assemblyof electrical components in the camera support device according to theinvention may be used for low-definition (analog) video signals, digitalor other video signals and other signals. The low-definition (analog)video signal from the camera 2 is fed to the signal line R via the firstconnecting device 1 and passes through the first switch unit 5 a andother components, which will be described in more detail in thefollowing, to the second connecting device 4. However, first the videosignal is fed from the first switch unit 5 a to a videoamplifier/multiplexer 6 which amplifies the video signal supplied anddivides it between several outputs. The video signal from a first outputfrom the video amplifier/multiplexer 6 is fed to a third connectingdevice 7 for supplying video signals to peripheral devices. A videosignal from the peripheral device can be fed from the third connectingdevice 7 through the second switch unit 5 b to the second connectingdevice 4. If no peripheral device is connected to the third connectingdevice 7, the video signal from the first output from the videoamplifier/multiplexer 6 is transmitted through a bridge 8, through thesecond switch unit 5 b to the second connecting device 4. However,instead of the bridge 8, any peripheral device for processing/changingthe video signal fed from the first output from the videoamplifier/multiplexer 6 in the third connecting device 7 may beconnected so that then a video signal changed/processed by theperipheral device goes from the third connecting device 7 through thesecond switch unit 5 b to the second connecting device 4.

The video signal from a second output from the videoamplifier/multiplexer 6 is fed to a fourth connecting device 9 forfeeding a video signal by cable to a peripheral device. In this way,another peripheral device in addition to the peripheral devicesconnected to the second and third connecting units may be connected tothe assembly of electrical components in the camera support deviceaccording to the invention. Depending upon the number of outputs fromthe video amplifier/multiplexer 6, additional connecting devices forperipheral devices may be provided.

According to the invention, the signal line B in the second operationalmode is used to transmit a video signal from a third output from thevideo amplifier/multiplexer 6 through the third switch unit 5 c to thefirst connecting device 1.

In order to supply the camera and/or peripheral devices with power, theassembly of electrical components according to the invention preferablycomprises further connecting devices 10, 11 and 12 which are connectedto an electrical power supply unit 13 comprising one or morerechargeable batteries and which provides connections to a power supplyfor the camera and the peripheral devices. As shown in FIG. 2, the otherconnecting devices can provide the same operating voltage or facilitatedifferent operating voltages to supply the camera or peripheral devices.

According to another embodiment, in at least one of the connectingdevices an additional signal line is provided which offers in additionto the standard equipment of the connecting device, and without impedingthis equipment, a sensor device 14. In FIG. 2, the sensor device 14 isshown by way of example next to both the fourth connecting device 9 andthe other connecting device 11. In the example of an embodiment shown inFIG. 2, the signal from the sensor device 14 is transmitted over asignal line to an evaluation device 15 which is connected by anothersignal line to the connecting devices 7 and 12. Once again, theprovision of the signal from the evaluation unit 15 is in addition tothe standard equipment of the connecting devices 7 and 12. A signaltransmitter device 16 may be connected to one of the connectingdevices—in FIG. 2 this is shown by way of example next to connectingdevice 12.

In this way, with the assembly of electrical components in a camerasupport device according to the invention, the status of a tallysignaling light in the camera may be determined by a sensor 14 andtransmitted via the additional signal line to a signal transmitter 16.In this way, the state of illumination of the tally signal display,which is often not visible to the camera operator, is transmitted toanother signal transmitter and can be provided at a position in thecamera support device which can be more easily seen by the cameraoperator.

If the sensor device is suitably embodied, it is possible to dispensewith the evaluation unit 15 so that a single additional signal linebetween the connecting devices has to be provided in order to facilitatethe connection of the sensor and the signal transmitter.

According to the invention, preferably at least individual connectingdevices are provided in duplicate so that two connection ports areprovided for one connection function. In FIG. 2 this embodiment is shownby way of example for the fourth connecting device 9 which is alsoprovided as a fifth connecting device 9′. By a suitable spatialarrangement of the duplicate connection ports, for example in theconnection boxes 27 and 28 shown in FIG. 1, short cables may be used toestablish a connection according to the main function on one of theconnection ports, ie to connect a peripheral device, and to enable theother connection port to be used for an auxiliary function.

1. Camera support device worn on the body comprising a multifunctionalassembly of electrical components comprising: at least one set ofseveral signal lines (R, G, B) for transmission of signals betweenconnecting devices (1, 4); at least one first connecting device (1) forfeeding a video signal by cable from a camera (2) to the set of severalsignal lines; at least one second connecting device (4) for feeding avideo signal from the set of several signal lines by cable to aperipheral device; at least one transmitting mode switching device (5, 5a, 5 b, 5 c) for switching the transmitting mode of the connectingdevices (1, 4) and the signal lines (R, G, B); whereby in a firsttransmitting mode, all signal lines of the at least one set can be usedfor the transmission of a video signal of a first type HDTV; and wherebyin a second transmitting mode, a part of the signal lines of the atleast one set are used for the transmission of a video signal of asecond type and the remaining part of the signal lines of the at leastone set are available for a purpose other than transmission of the videosignal of the second type.
 2. Camera support device according to claim1, wherein in the first transmitting mode the several signal linesestablish a connection between the first connecting device and thesecond connecting device.
 3. Camera support device according to claim 1,wherein a third connecting device is provided to feed a video signal bycable to a peripheral device to which in the second transmitting modethe video signal from one signal line of the several signal lines is fedand from which a video signal from the peripheral device is fed to thesecond connecting device.
 4. Camera support device according to claim 1,wherein in the second transmitting mode the video signal from one signalline of the several signal lines is fed to an input to a videoamplifier/multiplexer device, the video signal from a first output fromthe video amplifier/multiplexer device is fed to the second connectingdevice, and the video signal from a second output from the videoamplifier/multiplexer device is fed to a fourth connecting device forfeeding a video signal by cable to a peripheral device.
 5. Camerasupport device according to claim 4, wherein the video signal from thefirst output from the video amplifier/multiplexer device is fed to thethird connecting device and the video signal from the third connectingdevice is fed to the second connecting device.
 6. Camera support deviceaccording to claim 4, wherein in the second transmitting mode, the videosignal from a third output from the video amplifier/multiplexer deviceis fed to the first connecting device over one signal line of theremaining part of the several signal lines.
 7. Camera support deviceaccording to claim 1, wherein at least one signal line of the severalsignal lines runs continuously between the first and second connectingdevices.
 8. Camera support device according to claim 1, wherein furtherconnecting devices are provided for feeding/distributing electric powerto the camera and/or to peripheral devices.
 9. Camera support deviceaccording to claim 1, wherein at least one of the connecting devices isprovided in duplicate.
 10. Camera support device according to claim 1,wherein at least two of the connecting devices are connected to at leastone additional signal line so that a sensor device can be connected bycable to one of the two connecting devices and a signal transmittingdevice can be connected by cable to the other one of the two connectingdevices.
 11. Camera support device worn on the body according to claim1, wherein the peripheral device is at least one out of the groupconsisting of: a monitor, a video recording device and a transmittingdevice for video signal.